You asked, I deliver! Some Bootcampers have mentioned that my Attack phase hasn’t been perfectly clear to them, so I’ve spent some time reading through this chapter of my book in order to fully understand why what seemed so clear to me could still be clarified yet further for you.

The good news is that you certainly don’t need to keep a calculator in your pocket when it comes to what to eat during this phase.

Now that might throw some people off if you prefer very specific food recommendations, and I also think this phase may appear less straightforward, because, unlike the DETOX and BOOSTER phases, where I give you very simple lists to follow, in the ATTACK phase I share more in the way of explanations, recommendations and various studies and medical research. So while it can be a lot to digest, feeling a little overwhelmed at first is perfectly normal!

1 – How does the Attack phase differ from the Detox phase?

During the Attack phase you will learn more about the Glycemic Load and the Glycemic Index of foods so that you can integrate this element into your menus for more efficient weight loss.

We will partially reintroduce gluten, dairy, and red meat, and you will also see more complex carbohydrates in your menus.

We’ll set aside one Turbo Detox Day (TDD) per week to continue to detoxify your body! On a TDD, you simply follow Detox phase principles and include at least 5 detox foods in your menus.

And on the fitness front, we’ll tackle cellulite 🙂

2 – What is the Glycemic Load?

Let’s do a quick recap on the Glycemic Index and the Glycemic Load, two keys to this phase which you will integrate as you continue the program.

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how quickly blood glucose (i.e., blood sugar) levels rise after eating a particular type of food.

Foods with a low Glycemic Index, like vegetables and legumes, keep our blood sugar levels low which means that less excess sugar is stored in the form of fat. So low-GI foods are beneficial for weight loss!

In contrast, foods with a high Glycemic Index, such as all forms of white sugar, and refined or processed products, affect our blood sugar levels very rapidly thus causing the body to store a lot of energy in the form of fat. Not great for weight loss!

The Glycemic Index estimates how much a food raises a person’s blood sugar level following consumption of the food, but does not account for the rate of digestion (which varies for different foods).

The Glycemic Index has limitations, however, because it only takes into account the sugar content of a food and does not account for other components such as water and fiber content (fiber helps slow down the absorption of carbohydrates during digestion), and thus how much the body actually assimilates through digestion. For example, some nutritionists advise against eating watermelon on the pretext that its Glycemic Index is 75, which is high…but its Glycemic Load (GL) is only 3. This is why you will see watermelon feature in my LeBootCamp program!

Have I lost you yet? No? Phew! Then let’s continue…

Why is there such a significant difference between the Glycemic Index and the Glycemic Load?

The Glycemic Load measures the rate at which carbohydrates are digested, by multiplying the GI by the number of carbohydrates in a portion of food, and then dividing the result by 100. In this way, GL takes into account other components of the food (vs just sugar). So naturally, GL is a much more precise measurement.

In other words, the true value of a food lies not only in its quantity of fat, protein and carbohydrates, but also in the type and the amount of enzymes it contains: These enzymes act on the speed of digestion, and in turn, on the blood’s absorption of the food’s nutrients. This rate of digestion is called the Glycemic Load or GL.

A GL of 20 or more is high; 11-19 is average; less than 10 is low. So as we mentioned earlier, although watermelon has a high GI of 75, since it has a GL of only 3, it will not provoke a blood sugar spike.

Certain foods are responsible for glycemic spikes which cause the body to store more fat. Choosing foods with a low glycemic load means a low insulin response by the body in digestion, and thus more balanced blood sugar levels while also reducing the risk of Type II diabetes.

Another example: melon has a high GI (72), but a low GL (8). Why? Because melon actually contains very little carbohydrates (only 0.4 oz in half a melon) –like watermelon, this fruit is mostly composed of water and fiber.

It’s essential to integrate this concept in the bigger picture: for example, if you have a food with a high glycemic index, like chocolate cake, eating protein and a food high in water and fiber at the same time actually decreases the average glycemic index of the entire snack by slowing down the digestion rate of sugars and fats from the cake. As a result, blood sugar levels are more stabilized.

In addition to favoring foods with a low GL, avoid all refined products and follow one of the founding principles behind our LeBootCamp menus: start your meals with protein or fiber and keep sugar for the end…like a true traditional French meal.

Voila, now you know the difference between foods that impact your blood sugar for better or for worse, so you can make the right choices!

3 – Should I calculate the Glycemic Load of all of my meals?

Counting and calculating everything you eat is overwhelming! In recent years point-counting diets have popped up all over the place.  Whether it’s about tracking calories, grams of carbohydrates, foods by color, or even the Glycemic Index – counting does not fit in with my approach.

So you can get rid of your calculator as we will not be punching in numbers on LeBootCamp!

I am convinced that any approach that involves counting what you eat and therefore cutting out the whole pleasure aspect of eating, simply does not work.

Transforming “eating” into “feeding” is a sure way to ruin your life – and this is a true epicurean talking to you 🙂. If you follow me on Instagram @valerieorsoni, you know what I mean when I say gourmet recipes. LeBootCamp is all about pleasure!

In my approach, I prefer that we learn to listen to our body and understand what we need without having to count whatever it is.

Sounds impossible? Not at all. This really works if you learn how to get in tune to your body, notice its true nutrition needs, and eat what you need to feel satisfied and not beyond.

Simply look to my menus for inspiration and you’ll get a sense of the foods that are good for you.

To help you even further, you’ll also find a downloadable list of foods classified by their Glycemic Load in your private member space.

Lastly, and very importantly, if you slip up, no worries! Don’t stress, just ask your coach how you could have done it better via “My Questions” in your private space, chat with us on our LeBootCamp Diet Facebook Group, and little by little you will get there. Be easy on yourself, it takes time…

On we go down the path of healthy living, swift weight loss and a great figure!